The verb

In this article,  we shall discuss what a verb is and how is it relating with a sentence.

A verb in its simple definition tells or asserts something about a person or a thing.

The common definition which is known to us" A verb is

an action" is just part of the definition, not the whole or complete definition.

A verb, as its name implies comes from a Latin word (verbum) and its definition goes beyond an action word. A verb may tells us:

1. What a person or thing does (Action)

E.g Adam laughs.

2. What is done to a person or thing (event)

E.g Adam is scolded.

3.  What a person or thing is (State)

E.g Adam is dead.

These show that a verb consist of more than one word.

A verb is used transitively or intransitively rather than it is transitive or intransitive  since it is a key word in a sentence. More so we have discussed the issues relating to transitive as a usage of verb that requires an object and intransitive as a usage that may not require an object.

Here we shall buttress more on the usages of a verb in a sentence.

INTRANSITIVE VERBS USED AS TRANSITIVE

Some verbs in the position of intransitive can be used transitively.

1. When intransitive verb is used as causative sense.

Examples: The horse walks (intransitive)

                  He walks the horse (transitive)

B. The kite flies (intransitive) here you can't say flies what.

  The boy flies their kite (transitive) here you will say 'flies what'?

2. By adding preposition.

Examples: I laughed ( intransitive)

B. All his friends laughed at (what/who?) Him. (Transitive)

C. He laughed a hearty laugh (this is called cognate object) whereby the verb word will be repeated in the objective case.

TRANSITIVES USED AS INTRANSITIVES

Examples: he broke the glass (transitive) (broke what?)

B. The glass broke (intransitive) here you can't say broke what.

VERB OF INCOMPLETE PREDICATION

These are verbs that don't have a complete predicate except something/a word is added to them.

Examples: the baby seems( incomplete predicate) but if i say" the baby seems happy' that makes it complete. The word "happy" completed the incomplete predicate,  therefore it is called complement. Which complement should it be? It is the complement of the verb SEEMS.

N. B: complement can be subjective or objective.

Subjective complement: E.g Tabby is a cat or The Earth is round (cat and round are both subjective)

Objective complement: The jury found him guilty.

Another example of incomplete predicate is 'The jury found him..... (Guilty) so we say,  the jury found him guilty.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECT

Direct object denote a thing. It shows the instant receiver of the action.

Example: she slapped Busayo.

Indirect object: this denote the person to whom something is given. Examples: His father gave him (indirect) a watch.

Lastly,  verb can be used reflexively also. Example :the man killed himself (himself,  here is the objective case) likewise, when you say: I shut the door myself. Hope you get that?

Our next topic will be on active and passive voice with mood in verb.

Drop your questions,  clarification, comments and the likes. Thanks for reading.